GLOBAL JIHAD

Iran's new president promotes suicide squads

Glorifies 'martyrdom,' recruiting volunteers to target Americans

In the second TV appearance since his election victory, Iranian President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad spoke in praise of “the art of martyrdom” as volunteers continued to mobilize for suicide squads aimed at U.S., British and Israeli forces.

The day after the appearance, the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat published a report about the new leader’s spiritual advisor, Ayatollah Mohammad Misbach Yazdi, who told Iranians how to volunteer for the regime-sponsored “martyrdom squads,” according to the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI.

The report mentioned an Iranian women’s volunteer group dedicated to carrying out martyrdom operations against U.S., British, and Israeli forces.

The subject of Iranian martyrdom seekers also was the topic of a recent program on Al-Arabiya TV.

Referring to martyrdom, he said, “We want art that is on the offensive. Art on the offensive exalts and defends the noble principles, and attacks principles that are corrupt, vulgar, ungodly, and inhuman.”

The president elect declared, “Art reaches perfection when it portrays the best life and best death. After all, art tells you how to live. That is the essence of art. Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? A nation with martyrdom knows no captivity. Those who wish to undermine this principle undermine the foundations of our independence and national security. They undermine the foundation of our eternity.”

Ahmadi-Nejad said, “The message of the [Islamic] revolution is global and is not restricted to a specific place or time. It is a human message, and it will move forward.

“Have no doubt … Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world.”

The spiritual adviser Yazdi called on the Iranian people to volunteer for an Iranian organization of martyrs.

The announcement reads:

“Acts of martyrdom are the great pinnacle of the [Iranian] people and the height of its courage. The commander [Iranian Leader] Khamenei has announced registration for the forces of martyrdom in all of Iran’s provinces, in order to defend Islam and to fight the enemies of Islam. Our sacred organization, [the organization of martyrs belonging] to the Islamic Republic, is intended for those interested in carrying out shahada [martyrdom]. The volunteer, male or female, will join specialized courses. Brother and sister believers who want to defend Islam are invited to contact [us] at POB 664-1653, Tehran, and to send two photos, a copy of their birth certificate, and a request to join the martyrs’ corps.”

According to the report, the martyr organization is headed by Elias Naderan, leader of the conservative faction of the Iranian parliament, former intelligence officer in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and an ally of Ahmadi-Nejad.

A few months ago, he founded an organization called Zeitoon, intended for women and men interested in committing martyrdom operations “against the enemies of Iran and Islam” – especially against U.S., British, and Israeli forces.

One of the volunteers, Mohammad Reza Siyari, who recently fled from Iran to Turkey, told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that during a visit to Yazdi’s office in Qom, the spiritual adviser told the volunteers: “The gates of Paradise have opened for you. There are beautiful black-eyed virgins waiting for you on the banks of rivers of honey.”

As WorldNetDaily reported earlier this month, an Iranian movement called the World Islamic Organization’s Headquarters for Remembering the Shahids [Martyrs] says it now has recruited 40,000 human “time bombs” to carry out suicide attacks against Americans in Iraq and Israel.

Supporters of the movement include members of parliament and Revolutionary Guards officers.

As MEMRI reported last year, Iranian political leader Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guards Gen. Shabani praised the culture of martyrdom and jihad in speeches to students, urging them to become martyrs themselves in order to resist enemies, particularly the United States.